Hinge for steam table covers



Aug. 12, 1952 D. B. SHAFFER ET AL HINGE FOR STEAM TABLE COVERS Filed Nov. 27, 1950 IIIIIIIIIIWIIIIIIII Patented Aug. 12, 1952 2,606,339 F03 STEAMTABLE COVERS I David Shaffer and Irwin Shaffer,

7 Les Ayngeies, Calif.

ApplicationNoveniber 27,1950, SerialNo.1"97,i26

1 This invention relates" to improvements in hinges for covers such, for example, as those used to cover receptacles from whichfood is served as in salad or steam tables or the like, although, while the invention is designed primarily for such use it is not limited thereto, but may be used upon an similarly mounted cover or like structure.

In salad table structures, a large cover is commonly employed for several large ifood receptacles and suchcover must be mounted on a suitable hinge, or pivot, which will permit it to be lowered to covering position or raised and mounted in an elevated position, and it also becomes necessary attimes, to completely remove the cover for-cleaning, or other'purposes.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved and novel hinge means whereby such a cover, or any other covering unit imilar thereto, may be freely raised and lowered and when raised, can be easily locked in such position and whereby, also, the cover may be removed, or replaced, easily and quickly without loosening or unfastening any parts of the hinge but merely by raising the cover to a predetermined extent short of its fully raised position.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a hinge means which is simple in construction, whereby it may be easily and inexpensively manufactured and easily installed or set up.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in I the art.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of a salad table top, with a typical cover and showing the application of hinges constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation, on an enlarged scale of the hinge and a portion of the cover, showing how the cover may be removed, or

' installed, by reason of the novel hinge construction.

Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 2 showing the relative positions of the hinge parts when the cover is fully closed, or when raised to a locked open position.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

taken substantially 1 Claim. (Cl. 16--17 1').

Referring now more particularly to the: drawing, the numeral -lB,- generally designates-a portion of a salad table] top which has therein an elongatedopening, a part ofwhich isshown in Figure 4 and designated" I2 Thereference C generally des1gnates the'cover 'unit for" closing, or covering, the opening l'2',

such unit having the end walls I4, back walll6 and front wall iii-which carries-a handle 20.

At each end of the cover unit', the end-wall,

is detachably joined, at'its rear end, to the" table top by a hinge unit 22 constructed inaccordance with the present invention, a

The 'hinge'unit 22 comprises a plate'of relatively heavy metal which has a portionturned laterally to provide a supporting flange or foot 26,- by which the plate is supported in upright position, such foot flange being bolted, as at 28 or otherwise secured, to the tabel top, in a position to dispose the plate at the side edge of the table opening l2, as shown in Figure 4.

While the plate is here shown as having the curved, upwardly converging front and back edges 3!! and 32 respectively, such form is not essential, but is preferred.

In the upper part of the front edge 30 of the hinge plate is formed an entrance slot 33. which leads, or extends, in a rearward and downward direction into a pivot stud turning opening 34 and this area leads into the relatively long downwardly and rearwardly directed locking slot 35, the bottom of which is about level with the top of the foot flange 26. y The entrance slot 33 is only slightly elevated at its front end from the horizontal while the locking slot 35 is inclined slightly forwardly at its top end from the vertical and the larger pivot stud turning space or opening joins the two.

As shown, the back edge 35a of the locking slot 35 extends up above the lowest end of the entrance slot 33 and then curves downwardly to join the top edge 33a of the slot 33, thereby forming the recess 34a which defines the top of the space 34.

Directly below the recess 34a is a substantially horizontal ledge 34b forming the bottom part of the space 34 and this merges at its front end with a substantially vertical houlder 33a which joins the bottom edge of the slot 33. At its rear end the ledge joins the rounded corner, or knee, 340 which continues into the front edge of the slot 35.

As will be readily apparent the cover. C positions between the two hinge plates 24, and each end wall has fixed thereto a short outwardly extending pivot stud or pin 36. in a position to project through the opening 34 and rest on the ledge 34b forming the bottom of the opening, when the cover is in closed position.

The pivot stud 34 is, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, of rectangular cross section and is of a thickness to fit snugly in the slots 33 and 35. It is also set so that the bottom face will be at a slight inclination from the horizontal when the cover is closed and will bear upon the rounded corner or knee 340 as shown in Figure 3.

When the cover is to be maintained in opened position, the front is raised by the handle 29, the stud flat under surface pivoting on the knee 340 until the under and upper surfaces of the stud are in plane parallel with the edges of the slot 35 whereupon the back of the lid will drop down to rest upon the back edge of the table opening l2 and the pivot stud will slip down to the bottom of the locking slot as shown in broken lines in Figure 3.

When the cover is to be removed from the table it is raised slightly to the position shown in Figure 2 until the edge of the stud is in line with the entrance slot whereupon by pulling forward on the cover the pivot studs will slip forwardly through their respective slots, and the cover is free- In providing the downwardly directed recess 34a; 8. means is provided for preventing accidentalescapeof the stud from the longer slot 35, when the cover is pulled up to elevate the stud from the lower end of the slot 35 as is necessary when returning the cover to its closed position over the salad table opening.

-We claim: 9 -'In a hinge for the cover of a steam table and 4 the like, an L-shaped member 01 metal plate having its vertical portion provided with an upwardly and forwardly inclined slot and a second similarly inclined slot opening through the forward edge of the vertical portion, said second slot connecting with the first slot below the upper end thereof, the upper end of the forward edge of the first slot having an oflset opening into the inner end of the loweredge of the second slot and forming a ledge, and a pivot stud adapted to be carried at an end or the cover for snug sliding engagement in said slots and adapted to rest on said ledge when the cover is disposed in its closed position, the upper end of the rear edge of the first slot curving forwardly and downwardly and merging into the upper edge of the second slot.

DAVID B. SHAF'FER.

IRWIN SHAFFER.

REFERENCES v CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

